Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles Restaurants Raided

The son of Grammy winner Gladys Knight and his chicken and waffles chain are the target of a Georgia Department of Revenue investigation to the tune of $1 million.

Revenue department agents on Tuesday raided the three Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles restaurants and their corporate headquarters, owned by Knight’s son Shanga Hankerson. The singer is not being investigated, the department said.

Authorities tried and failed to serve Hankerson arrest warrants at his home. He is accused of withholding state taxes and stealing more than $650,000 worth of sales, with the total skyrocketing past $1 million after interest and penalties.

Video from the raid, first reported by Atlanta's WSB-TV, showed authorities knocking on the door of the eatery’s downtown Atlanta Peachtree location. The restaurants are currently closed but will likely reopen in a couple of days, according to reporter Mark Winne.

Officials are working with Hankerson's lawyer to "have the business up and running again as soon as possible," Office of Special Investigations director Josh Waites said in a statement.

“It is never The Department of Revenue’s primary goal to shut down a business,” he said.

The Empress of Soul’s namesake waffle joint has also had its share of non-financial difficulties, flunking a health inspection in February with a dismal score of 56, WSB-TV reported at the time.

The chain eventually notched its score back up to 90, an A grade.

“It's an ongoing effort as far as health is concerned; as far as the cleanliness of the restaurant,” Hankerson told the outlet. “I'm not trying to get a whooping at home.”

SOURCE